Last night, the “Savonetta Boys” showed how seriously they are taking their title hunt with a clinical and classy 2-0 Digicel Pro League win over Point Fortin Civic in a top of the table clash at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.

Connection and Civic, after a generation of swapping players and coaches, have a simmering sibling rivalry; but Joevin Jones’ brilliant double made it clear who the big brother is between this pair.

Earlier at the same venue, Police FC turned up with the recipe for “Couva Sharks” as the Lawmen led Central FC by four goals at one point before a late Dwight Quintero strike offered the faintest consolation in a 4-1 battering.

English coach Terry Fenwick does not usually play the victim’s role. But that was the kind of whipping that usually comes with an advisory from the British High Commission warning potential tourists to be on their guard.

By halftime, Police was already out of sight thanks to an Elijah Belgrave double and a solitary Joel Lewis item while the Central backline just looked invisible. And the Lawmen got their fourth in the 68th minute as Christon Thomas motored down the right flank and crossed for Akiba Peters to knock home.

To put that score into perspective, Police had scored one item or less in four of its five outings before last night; and the Sharks had kept three clean sheets from its previous six games and had conceded just one League goal.

Photo: Police midfielders Trent Noel (right) and Joel Lewis (number 39) try to wrestle the ball from St Ann’s Rangers attacker Kennedy Isles.Police was at its best against Central FC last night.(Courtesy Wired868)

One would expect that the Central dressing room would be no place for the fainthearted for the next week or so.

There were not as many goals in the second game of yesterday’s double header but, in some ways, it was just as emphatic.

Just over 1,000 spectators came out to see the “Clash of the Titans”; but, instead, they found themselves watching “JJ and friends.”

Jones, Connection’s scrawny little bully, put his recent internal problems well and truly behind him as the minor league scamp made a major contribution when it mattered.

The only blot yesterday was that Trinidad and Tobago national senior team coach Stephen Hart, presumably spending some time with his family, was not there to see it.

Jones is unquestionably the best left back in the country. But he does not play that role for his club and the debate about where he should feature for the “Soca Wariors” is a topic that has divided the local fans who follow the Pro League from those that do not.

Photo: Former World Cup 2006 coach Leo Beenhakker (right) makes a point to Trinidad and Tobago utility player Joevin Jones during the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup.(Courtesy TTFA Media)

Try telling anyone who was at the Ato Boldon Stadium last night that Hart should not station Jones higher up the field.

And yet, in truth, Connection’s best work against Civic did not involve Jones.

Coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier would probably have been happiest with his team’s defensive effort yesterday and there was no sign of the Connection team that was picked apart at will in its opening CONCACAF Champions League games, two months ago.

“It normally takes us until about six games into the season to get our rhythm,” said Williams. “If we were in the Champions League now, I think the results would be very different.”

Intriguingly, Brazilian right back Joao Ananais was the only South American player in the Connection first team yesterday. And the best player in many respects was combative midfielder Gerard Williams, a St Kitts and Nevis international, who wore the captain’s armband and stomped around barking orders and stopping opponents in their tracks like the Caribbean’s answer to Roy Keane.

Photo: Point Fortin right back Garyl Doldron (left) is pressured for possession by W Connection attacker Jerrel Britto.(Courtesy Wired868)

Point Fortin attacker Andre Toussaint, one of seven former Connection players in the Civic starting team, came in disguise after a trip to the barber left him without his trademark dreadlocks. But Williams and company still would not let him pass while the likes of Andrei Pacheco, Marcus Joseph and Sylvester Teesdale could not even force a meaningful save from Connection custodian Jelani Archibald over the 90 minutes.

Jones was really just the cherry on top. And yet, with a swing of each boot, the gifted 22-year-old utility player eclipsed all the work of the other 27 players used yesterday.

At kick off, local reporters discussed the fact that Williams and not Jones had the Connection armband. The club chairman explained after that the captaincy would be rotated this season until one of five potential leaders emerges from the group.

By the fifth minute, Jones had made the leadership debate a non-issue with a silky move.

Photo: Point Fortin Civic midfielder and ex-Connection employee Nickcolson Thomas (left) kept close watch on Connection’s Joevin Jones yesterday but could not stop him from deciding the match.(Courtesy Wired868)

Jerrel Britto played a low pass inside from the left flank towards Jones and he shaped as if to shoot first time with his left boot. Civic defender Weslie John tensed up in expectation of an attempt; only for Jones to allow the ball to run across his body instead.

Then, with pinpoint precision, Jones swung his right boot to usher the ball into the far corner to the right of Civic custodian Marvin Phillip. It was his only touch of the move.

Phillip had controversially missed Civic’s 3-0 defeat to Central in midweek due, allegedly, to his own appearance in a minor league game; although neither club nor player has spoken publicly on the matter.

The Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper did justify his recall in the 65th minute with a superb save to keep out a Britto cannon, which seemed destined for the top right hand corner.

Jones was nowhere to be found at that point. The Connection maestro has a tendency to go missing for long periods; where he seems to be hovering around the field aimlessly, as though looking for a key that is in his pocket the whole time.

And, just when you find yourself thinking that maybe he is a luxury item in the midfield after all, Jones reappears with devastating effect.

Connection attacker Hashim Arcia cut the ball back towards him, just inside the Civic penalty area, and Jones again needed only a quick shuffle of his feet and one decisive touch. He checked his run and, bang, the ball flew into the roof of the net; and it was game over.

“Without question, Jones is the best midfielder in the country,” cooed Williams.

The love seems to be flowing again within the Connection camp. And it is bad news for their rivals as the Savonetta Boys moved six points clear of second placed Civic.

About Lasana Liburd

Lasana Liburd is the CEO and Editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.

3 weeks agoby wired868South Zone secretary and Point Fortin East Secondary teacher Essiel Seecharan makes a point during the SSFL’s first Stakeholders Forum at the National Cycling Centre in Couva on 24 February, 2018. Looking on (from left to right) are Norris Ferguson, Phillip Fraser, Gregory Wales, Gerald Elliot and Anthony Creed. Photo: Allan V Crane/CA-images/Wired868

1 month agoby wired868Where allyuh?! W Connection and Club Atlético Pantoja engage in Caribbean Club Championship battle in front of a sprinkling of patrons at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on 4 February 2018. Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/CA-Images/Wired868